United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed being “deeply concerned” on Tuesday regarding Russia’s declared intentions to target Ukrainian defense facilities and command centers located in Kyiv.
The U.N. leader delivered these comments to the Security Council following Moscow’s Monday declaration of its plans to carry out such attacks, coming just one day after launching one of its most intense bombardments of the Ukrainian capital since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started.
The Secretary-General noted that Russia’s announcement came in response to reports about a Ukrainian drone strike that hit an educational facility and student housing in Starobilsk, a Ukrainian city currently under Russian control.
“We condemned the attack on the school – as we condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur,” Guterres stated.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians, and that risks making the search for peace even more distant, prolonging the suffering of people,” the U.N. chief continued.
